Valve mechanism and actuating means therefor



Feb. 25, 1936. G. s. M KEE ET AL VALVE MECHANISM AND ACTUATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed May 51, 1955 ENTORS Patented Feb. 25, 1936 I VALVE LIECHANISM AND ACTUATING MEANS THEREFOR Grosvenor S. McKee, Athens, Ohio, and Henry L.

Galson, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Baldwin-Southwark Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application May 31, '1933,Serial No. 673,743 7 Claims. (Cl. 277-4) This invention relates generally to air conditioning apparatus and more particularly to improved valve mechanism and actuating means therefor whereby the functions of complementary heat exchange elements, such as a condenser and evaporator of a refrigerating system, may be interchanged to permit a refrigerating system to either heat or cool room air which is circulated over one of the heat exchange elements, the outside air preferably being circulated over the other of said elements.

To interchange the functions of a condenser and evaporator particularly in a compressorcondenser-expander refrigerating circuit it is only necessary to interchange the high and. low pressure connections from the compressor to the heat exchange elements and thus reverse the direction of refrigerant flow through such elements.

It is one object of my invention to provide an improved arrangement of refrigerant interchanging valves and operating means therefor. A further object is to provide a relatively simple arrangement of interchanging valves that is economical in manufacture, maintenance and operation as well as efiicient in controlling and reversing the refrigerant and in permitting simplified operating means, all requiring minimum space and minimum supporting elements consistent with a desired degree of ruggedness.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved valve arrangement and actuating means therefor;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 with parts broken away or omitted for purposes of showing certain details of construction.

lateral ports 4 adapted to selectively communicate with lateral pasages. 5 and 6 formed in the valve body while a compressor passage connection I communicates with the valve plug 3 through its hollow bore. This compressor connection turns downward and outward preferably through as shown in Fig. 1 while the pipe connections 8 and 9 to the heat exchange elements extend preferably in substantially parallel relation to be connected to the valves I and 2 and. support the same, it being noted that lateral lugs or bosses Ill and l I are provided with cylindrical bores I2 and I3 to receive pipes 8 and 9. These pipes are provided with cut-out portions 14 and I5 registering with ports 5 and 6 also formed in said bosses l0 and II. 10

The valve plug 3 is provided with an operating stem It, the stems of the two valves preferably being in axial alignment so that a gear Il may be commonly connected to each valve stem l6 but preferably adapted for independent axial movement thereof. The stems l6 extend through suitable packing glands l8.- To rotate gear ll there is provided a pinion 19 secured to an operating shaft 20 journalled in upstanding lugs 2|. The outer end of this operating shaft may be provided with any suitable crank engaging means herein shown as a slotted end 22.

It will be understood that the heat exchange pipes 8 and. 9 and compressor pipes I are suitably connected to the refrigerating system and compressor in the manner shown in the application of J. Vogler, filed on or about even date herewith. Hence it will suffice to merely describe only the valve structure and. actuating means as above and the operation thereof without regard to the refrigerating system.

From the foregoing disclosure it is seen that I have provided a relatively simple, compact and economical construction and arrangement of parts which will permit relatively easy operation of the valves with a comparatively simple gear train including preferably a relatively large gear of the spur or worm type operated by a suitable pinion. *It is also seen that merely by rotating shaft 20, gear ll will rotate the valves 3 and thus effect the necessary connections between the high and low pressure compressor pipes l and the pipes 8 and 9. connected to the heat exchange elements in accordance with whether it is desired to have the heat exchange elements function for cooling or heating purposes.

It will of course be understood by those skilled, in the art that various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the inventionas set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A valve mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of axially aligned rotatable valves, a high pressure pipe connected to one of said valves,

a low pressure pipe connected to the other of said valves, pipes leading to and from an external point and connected with each of said valves, means whereby when said valves are in one adjusted position said external pipes have one relation with respect to said high and low pressure pipes and when the valves are in another adjusted position said relation is reversed, and gear mechanism operatively connected to and arranged coaxially of said valves for actuating the same to efiect said reverse operation.

2. A valve mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of axially aligned rotatable valves, 2. pair of pipes each connected to each of said valves for supporting the same in aligned relation, and gear mechanism operatively connected to and arranged coaxially of said valves for actuating the same.

3. A valve mechanismcomprising, in combination, a pair of axially aligned rotatable valves, a pair of pipes having portions disposed in substantially parallel relation and commonly connected to said valves, and gear mechanism operatively connected to and arranged coaxially of said valves for actuating the same.

4. A valve mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of axially aligned rotatable valves, valves having stems extending toward each other, a pair of pipes each connected to each of said valves, one pipe being adapted to have communication with one valve and the other pipe with the other valve or vice versa, and operating means therefor including a gear operatively connected to said stems at their adjacent ends to effect said alternative connections valves.

5. A valve mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of axially aligned rotatable valves, valves having valve stems extending toward each other, a pair of pipes each connected to each of said valves, one pipe being adapted to have communication with one valve and the other pipe with the other valve or vice versa, operating means therefor including a gear operatively connected to said stems at their adjacent ends, and high and low pressure pipes respectively connected to said valves at their remote ends, whereby said alternative connections are eifected between said pipes and valves.

6. A valve mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of axially aligned rotatable valves having stems extending toward each other, and operating means therefor including a gear operatively connected to saidv stems at their adjacent ends, and a pair of pipes commonly connected to said valves on opposite sides of the axial line thereof.

7. A valve mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of substantially axially aligned rotatable valves having valve stems extending toward each other, a pair of pipes each connected to each of said valves for alternative communication therewith, a gear connected to said valve stems at their adjacent ends, an operating pinionfor said gear, a shaft for said pinion, and bearing means for supporting said shaft on each of said valves.

. GROSVENOR S. McKEE.

HENRY L. GALSON.

between said pipes and 

